Father accuses hospital of medical error as baby dies

JEDDAH: A citizen has accused a private hospital in Madinah of medical negligence leading to the death of his newborn baby due to breathing problems after the mother was discharged by the hospital.
According to a local newspaper, Omran Yousef Al-Rushaidi has stated in his complaint that after his wife experienced pain, he took her quickly to the hospital. “Twenty-four hours after delivery, the doctors discharged her from hospital with the baby. The health of the baby deteriorated immediately afterwards and she couldn’t breathe.”
Al-Rushaidi claimed that he took his wife and child back to the same hospital and met an emergency doctor, who said said the baby was suffering from oxygen deficiency. “The doctor was surprised that the mother and child were discharged after 24 hours. The baby was immediately admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The doctors were told that my wife should be transferred to the maternity hospital, but they said there was no bed.”
The baby died 24 hours later, he said, demanding a full investigation of the medical team for lapses. He has also sought a probe against one of the doctors who allegedly dealt with him in a provocative manner.
“That particular doctor told me that I was the cause of my daughter’s death while blaming me for getting my wife and baby discharged from hospital, which is not true,” Al-Rushaidi added
Director-General of the Madinah Health Directorate has ordered an inquiry into the matter, the report in the local newspaper said.